Various forms of plumbing joints utilize internally threaded nuts. Such nuts regularly become broken or corroded to the extent that they must be replaced. Replacement of threaded nuts, generally, requires the removal of adjacent pipe sections or fittings to enable a peripherally continuous replacement slip nut to be applied over an associated pipe section. Such removal of a pipe section or fitting is time consuming and often results in unwanted "down time" of the related plumbing section. Accordingly, a need exists for structure enabling the ready replacement of broken or corroded slip nuts.
In the past many threaded split-type coupling nuts have been disclosed in U.S. Patents such as Patent Nos. 944,877; 4,226,164 and 4,258,944.
However, these previously known forms of split coupling nuts, while being installable, are not constructed in a manner facilitating use of inexpensive production nuts. Such previous split coupling nuts provide a threaded split coupling nut operative in substantially the same manner as a conventional peripherally continuous coupling nut with a new production step of splitting the coupling nut and adding complex connector means.
The threaded split coupling nut is useful for plumbing traps when constructed in the form of a threaded split-slip nut coupling such as used under a sink as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,944. The invention in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,944 is disclosed and is made a part hereof. When access to the sink trap is desired for cleaning purposes as well as repair purposes, the threaded split coupling nut allows the plumber to avoid the necessity of dismantling the entire installation as is required with conventional coupling nuts.